Evaluation of corneal endothelial function by specular microscopy in patients with acute anterior uveitis

Purpose: To determine the structure and function of corneal endothelial cell layer in patients with acute anterior uveitis. Methods: Thirty-four eyes of 34 acute anterior uveitis patients who referred to Bulent Ecevit University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between February 2017-August 2018 and 34 eyes of 34 healthy subjects were included in this study. Full ophthalmological examinations were performed and corneal endothelial cell layer analyses were evaluated by non-contact specular microscopy. Mean cell density (CD), coefficient of variation (CV), maximum cell area (max), minimum cell area (min), average cell area (avg), hexagonality ratio (HEX) values were recorded. Results: Acute anterior uveitis group consisted of 19 (55.9%) female and 15 (44.1%) male patients and the control group consisted of 19 (55.9%) female and 15 (44.1%) male paticipants. The mean age of the patients were 38.82 ± 13.84 years (range: 15-69 years) in acute anterior uveitis group and 38.74 ± 13.34 years (range 15-68 years) in the control group (p=0,95). The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 15.71±7.06 mmHg, max was 1054,44±251,14 μm², min was 152.29±53.65 μm² and avg was 386.91±41.73 μm² in acute anterior uveitis group and the mean IOP was 15.91±2.64 mmHg, max was 1057.65±261.23 μm², min was 147.26±20.45 μm² and avg was 383.53±43.12 μm² in the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of IOP, max, min and avg (respectively p=0.080, p=0.72, p=0.62, p=0.67). The mean CD was 2607.74 ± 277.63 cells / mm² in acute anterior uveitis group and 2669.35 ± 265.22 cells / mm² in the control group CD (p=0.358). - In acute anterior uveitis group the mean CV was 31.68 ± 8.16 % and HEX was 63.85 ± 11.14 % and in the control group mean CV was 25.29 ± 3.00% and mean HEX was 72.6 ± 4.80%. Statistically significant differences were seen between the two groups. (respectively P=0,00, P=0,00). The mean central corneal thickness (CCT) value of the acute anterior uveitis group was 571.47 ± 55.99 μm and the mean CCT of the control group was 534.82 ± 33.84 μm. A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The mean CCT and CV were found higher and the HEX ratio was found lower in acute anterior uveitis group compared to the control group. Our findings suggest that intraocular inflammation in anterior chamber negatively affects the corneal endothelial cell structure and function in patients with acute anterior uveitis. Key words: Acute anterior uveitis, specular microscopy, corneal endothelial cell layer